Empanadas Venezolanas

Name: Empanadas Venezolanas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Venezuelan
Ingredients: 3 cups pre-cooked corn flour; 3 cups warm water; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp annatto powder; 500g shredded beef (mechada); 2 tbsp oil; Vegetable oil for frying; Guasacaca sauce for serving

Empanadas (em-pah-NAH-dahs)

Venezuelan Fried Corn Empanadas

⏱ Prep Time 30 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 285 kcal

Crispy deep-fried half-moon pockets of corn dough filled with a savory mixture of shredded beef, black beans, or cheese — Venezuela's favorite street snack.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 12.0g

Carbs 30.0g

Fat 13.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free nut-free

Equipment Needed

deep fryer or heavy pot rolling pin mixing bowl

Presentation Guide

Vessel: paper-lined basket

Garnishes: lime wedge

Accompaniments: guasacaca sauce, hot sauce

Ingredients

3 cups pre-cooked corn flour
3 cups warm water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp annatto powder
500g shredded beef (mechada)
2 tbsp oil
Vegetable oil for frying
Guasacaca sauce for serving

Instructions

1
Mix corn flour, warm water, salt, and annatto until a smooth dough forms. Rest 10 min.
2
Divide dough into balls. Place each between plastic sheets and flatten into a thin circle.
3
Place shredded beef filling on one half, fold over, and seal edges firmly by pressing with a fork.
4
Heat oil to 180°C (350°F). Fry empanadas 2-3 per batch for 4-5 min until deep golden and crispy.
5
Drain on paper towels.
6
Serve hot with guasacaca sauce.

💡

Did You Know?

Venezuelan empanadas are made with corn flour, not wheat — this is a non-negotiable distinction that Venezuelans will passionately defend against Colombian and Argentine versions.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

deep fryer or heavy pot
rolling pin
mixing bowl

Garnishing

lime wedge

Accompaniments

guasacaca sauce, hot sauce

The Story Behind Empanadas Venezolanas

Spanish colonizers brought the empanada concept, but Venezuelans reinvented it entirely with corn dough instead of wheat, creating a gluten-free version that predates the modern gluten-free movement by centuries. Fried in oil rather than baked, the Venezuelan empanada became the nation's quintessential street food, sold from dawn to midnight at every corner.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed breakfast or afternoon snack 📜 Origins: Colonial adaptation of Spanish empanadas

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